Fence-ratchet.



No. 636,158. Patnted Oct. 3|, |a99.

w. H. MASON.

FENCE BATCHET. (Application flled'llar. 2a, 1599.

(No Model.)

INVENTO/f w A TTORNEYS INITED STATES PATENT FENCE-RATCHET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,158, dated October31, 1899.

Application filed March 28, 1899.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that'I, WILLIAM HENRY MA- soN, of Leesburg, in the county ofHighland and State of Ohio, have invented a new and ImprovedFence-Ratchet, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The invention relates to wire fences; and its object is to provide a newand improved fence-ratchet which is simple and durable in construction,easily manipulated, and arranged to permit of quickly tightening orslackeningafence-wire, guy-rope, cables, and like devices.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out inthe claims.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is afront elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a rearelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 4: is atransverse section of the same on the line 4 4 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 isan inner face view of the rear ratchet-wheel.

The improved device is provided with a front ratchet-wheel A and a rearratchetwheel 13, placed a suitable distance apart, the hub O of the rearratchet-wheel extending between the inner faces of said wheels, theforward end of the hub being formed into polygonal shape, as at O, toengage a correspondingly-shaped recess on the inner face of the frontwheel A to prevent the ratchetwheels from turning upon one another. Thetwo wheels are securely and rigidly fastened together by means of arivet D, cast in the hub O of the rear ratchet-wheel B and projectingthrough a central opening in a hub E, projecting integrally from thefront face of the ratchet-wheel A, the outer end of the rivet beingformed into a head, as is plainly indicated in'Fig. 4. The hub E is madepolygonal in form to permit of conveniently applying a wrench or othertool to turn the device and tighten or slacken the wire, as hereinaftermore fully described. The hub O is also provided at its forward end witha conical offset 0*, engaging a correspondingly Serial No. 710,789. (Nomodel.)

shaped opening in the wheel A, said hub serving to give the desiredgripping-surface to the rivet D to securely hold the latter in .placewhen the casting is made.

The rear wheel B is formed with a diametrical slot F, which also extendsin the hub O to a suitable depth, so that when the wire G is passed intosaid slot it extends in a plane between the inner faces of theratchet-wheels A and B. The ratchet-wheels A and B are provided withteeth A and B, respectively, which project inwardly and alternate witheach other, the teeth A being opposite cutout portions in the wheel Band the teeth B being opposite similar cut-out portions in the wheel A,as is plainly illustrated in the drawings. The teeth A and B projectsuch a distance inwardly that their points overlap in a longitudinalplane, and the backs of the teeth are inclined, as is plainly shown inFig. 3, the forward faces being on a forward slant, so that when thewire G is placed in the slot F and the device is turned by theapplication of a tool on the hub E then the wire ends readily slip overthe inclined backs of the teeth to wind up the wire on the hub O, andwhen the desired tension is given to the wire then the release of thehub E by the tool permits the wire ends to snap under the diametricallyopposite teeth of the wheels A and B, it being understood that the wiresth'en abut against the forwardly-slanting edges of the teeth, as plainlyindicated in Fig. 1. Thus it will be seen that by the arrangementdescribed the wire G engages a tooth of each wheel at diametricallyopposite points of the device, and consequently the latter remains incentral longitudinal alinement with the wire without kinking the wireand without danger of said Wire becoming accidentally detached from thecorresponding teeth A and B.

It is further understood that by the arrangement described the wire whengiven the desired tension, as described, readily glides over the back ofa tooth, as the latter projects opposite a cut-out portion of the otherwheel, so that the wire can readily pass from one tooth to the other tobe finally locked by the opposite teeth when the desired tension isgiven to the wire.

By the arrangement described it is only necessary for the operator toplace the device upon the wire, as described, and then turn the deviceto wind up the wire until the desired tension is obtained, the wire thenautomatically snapping under the teeth of the two wheels 011diametrically opposite sides to securely lock the ratchet-wheel in placeand hold the wire at the desired tension.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. A fence ratchet, comprising a frontratchet-wheel and a rear ratchet-Wheel, rigidly connected with eachother, the teeth of the wheels extending inward from the inner faces ofthe wheels and arranged alternately, the tooth of one wheel beingopposite a cutout portion of the other wheel, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. A fence ratchet, comprising a front ratchet-wheel having a polygonalhub on its front face for the application of a tool to thefence-ratchet, and rear ratchet-Wheel having a hub with the forward endmade polygonal to fit intoa corresponding recess on the inner face ofthe front ratchet-wheel, to prevent the ratchet-wheels from turning oneon the other, and a rivet carried by the said hub of the rear ratchetwheel and extending through and riveted to the polygonal hub on thefront ratchet-wheel, substantially as shown and described.

3. A fence ratchet, comprising a front ratchet-wheel, a rearratchet-wheel, means for rigidly connecting the wheels with each other,and a polygonal hub on one of the wheels for applying a tool to turn thedevice, one of the wheels having a diametrical slot extending a distanceinto'said hub, to permit of applying the device on awire, the wheelshaving teeth extending inward from the inner faces of the Wheel andarranged alternately, the tooth of one wheel being opposite a cut-outportion in the other wheel, said teeth having inclined backs andnormally slanting front edges, substantially as shown and described.

\VILLIAM HENRY MASON.

Witnesses:

O. P. KEEN, R. L. LEAVERTON.

